The open water sanctuary will become home to two 12-year-old beluga whales, named “Little White” and “Little Grey.” The whales come from cramped and controversial conditions in Chinese captivity. Last week, we shared the provocative story of a Chinese marine life trainer painting lipstick on a captive beluga.

Sea Life Trust – a conservation charity – is behind the efforts and contends that a semi-closed enclosure is best for their safety. “Our Belugas will never be able to be released due to their dependency on humans, we simply want to retire them from public performances in line with our values,” reads the online petition for the sanctuary.

Featured Photographer

Shaun Tierney is a native Londoner that has spent the last decade or two traveling the planet, diving and capturing images both underwater and on land. His first career was as a studio photographer, and over the years he has...